What Did That Shocking ‘Game of Thrones’ Death Reveal About ‘The Wars to Come’?

Game of Thrones has opened its iron doors for another year with Sunday’s Season 5 premiere, but what striking tone does it set for “The Wars to Come”? We break down that shocking death and tonight’s premiere for what it means toward Game of Thrones Season 5 to come.

Book reader or no, you’re warned of all the Game of Thrones spoilers from here on out, as Season 5 picked up in some unusual places to begin its biggest book-divergent run yet. For one, HBO broke with the show’s usual pattern to feature a flashback of Cersei’s past learning future truths from Maggy the Frog, especially pertinent given the loss of her father Tywin (Hi, Charles Dance’s lifeless body!), and the ongoing courtship between King Tommen and, we’re quoting here, “that smirking whore” Margaery.

Cersei certainly chewed out Jaimie for his actions allowing Tyrion to escape, but Tyrion himself fared little better in crossing the sea to Pentos, finally emerging from his air-holed box at the residence of Illyrio Mopatis, with only a pressing Varys for company. Having killed both his lover and his father, Tyrion seemed to content to drink himself to death, but promisingly agreed with Varys’ vision for the Seven Kingdoms, at least so far as to continue drinking on the road to Mereeen to meet one Daenerys Targaryen.

Miss Mother of Dragons didn’t find herself in the easiest spot either, what with the so-called Sons of the Harpy killing Unsullied left and right, while Hizdahr zo Loraq returned from Yunkai looking to open the fighting pits, a tense proposition even Daario Naharis agreed with. Amid some post-coitail convincing, a very-naked Daario revealed his own brawling history to Daenerys in an effort to persuade her, subtly pressing that her kingdoms might not respect the Mother of Dragons without her titular creatures under control. Sans any clue where Drogon has been for weeks, Dany paid a visit to Viserion and Rhaegal, only to find the fire-breathing beasts none-too-happy to see their Mhysa.

And speaking of fire, Jon Snow did his best to ignore upcoming Lord Commander elections by training the newest recruits, only to find himself bending the knee to an impatient Stannis Baratheon, who along with Melisandre pressed a need for the captive Mance Rayder to command his Wilding army to march on Winterfell. Mance predictably refused, adding that “the freedom to make my own mistakes is all I ever wanted,” and reluctantly accepting a stake-burning execution for said freedom. The entire fort gathered to watch the King Beyond the Wall burn, but Jon Snow put a stop to Mance’s suffering with an arrow before the flames could climb too high.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. According to the written word of George R.R. Martin (and seriously, avert your eyes if you’re worried of potential spoilers), Melisandre may have glamored another of Mance’s army to look like the King Beyond the Wall, which comes in handy when Jon learns that someone needs to rescue one of his kin from being married to Ramsay Bolton at the occupied Winterfell. Granted, HBO Jon Snow hasn’t learned anything of the sort just yet, but might Sansa fill that role, heading North with Littlefinger to parts unknown?

And what of Tyrion reluctantly accepting a long journey to Mereen to meet Daenerys, who may have her own problems with the Sons of the Harpy? Will Kings’ Landing remain in tact by the time either of them return, what with the supposed “Sparrows” assuming power, cousin Lancel included? Who will next suffer HBO’s wrath, after George R.R. Martin confirmed that book characters would face earlier ends than in his literary works?

AND ANOTHER THING…

Also worth noting is that poor Brienne seems to have given up on finding any good quests, even lashing out at poor Pod, unaware that the other Stark girl in need of protection rode past them that very minute.

And hey, what of that smirking Margaery? She and Tommen have progressed to hand-holding, but will the Queen-to-be find a way to oust Cersei without her brother’s “indiscretions” costing them a place in Kings’ Landing? Where are the mysterious “Sparrows “ in all this?

Stay tuned for more coverage of Game of Thrones season 5’s latest, check out our wishlist, and join us tomorrow for more coverage of Game of Thrones Season 5 and beyond!